Cambion Read online

  “Oh, I don’t know. You seem pretty close with them.”

  “I ain’t. They just keeps me ‘round ‘cause Pretty think we friends. She the only one I really like. Rest o’ them is dicks.”

  Somethin’ in her eyes change an’ I get real scared. She sit up a little more, but I can tells she weak. “Tell me how they get the rifts open, or else you’ll find yourself being blamed for the destruction of this Veil.”

  “Descruction o’ what Veil? What you talkin’ ‘bout?”

  “This world won’t last much longer, little sprite. An’ when it goes, you wouldn’t want all your… friends to blame you?”

  “They wouldn’t never think I could do somethin’ so bad.”

  “From what I heard of your conversation with Cambion, it doesn’t appear he or the others believe you, even when you’re telling the truth.”

  I get real angry when I realize she was eardroppin’ on elf boy an’ me conversation.

  “Do we have an understanding?” she ask.

  “You ain’t gots no power left…”

  Her fake kind smile turn into somethin’ real scary an’ I hear my heart beat pick up. “Are you sure?”

  No! For all I knows, she been fakin’ this whole time!

  Dick.

  I ain’t givin’ her what she want, though. I ain’t that fuckin’ dumb. But I decides ta play dumb anyways. Make her think I be helpin’ her. “I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout nothin’, ‘specially how ta get into The Veil, honest. But... but I can find out. I real smart, an’ they don’t see nothin’ I do.”

  She look like she thinkin’ it over an’ I hold my breath till my poor little lungs hurt.

  “All right, Fluff, I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself. Bring me whatever information you can find on The Veil and how the Necromancer is able to open portals to the other world.”

  “An’ what I gettin’ in return?”

  “Considering the fact that I was the one who put Variant in power... there’s nothing I can’t give you in return. So don’t disappoint me.”

  I nod, but the whole time I be wantin’ to tell her my name ain’t Fluff.

  Dick.

  The others won’t believes me. That true. But I don’t need ‘em to. Masky will. Masky an’ I ain’t exactly best o’ friends, but he listen. He care ‘bout us faerie creatures, even if everyone else thinkin’ we useless. Yeah, I’ll tell him.

  Holy shit. What my life comin’ to, that I willin’ to trust someone who talk to spirits like a wacko. That’s it. I finally gone clean off the edge. I be fuckin’ crazy, like the rest o’ these damn giants. Next thing I knows, I’ll be drinkin’ blood an’ visitin’ my stone lover in graveyards. Not like I got somethin’ against Shadow King goin’ to see Thoradin—I ain’t judgin’. Too bad Pretty ain’t here, though, I could really use one o’ her belly rubs.

  The Queen Heifer give me indigestion an’ I ain’t even eaten yet.

  An’ where the fuck be Noni an’ the others? I’m here all alone with this crazy witch an’ a elf who prefer the company o’ them trees in the forest. Aima the only Unseelie I ever met who ain’t a complete dick. But... we’ll see. Just need ta wait till Pyre come back. The Mother Heifer won’t be able to bully him ‘round. He a lot bigger than Shadow King, an’ more powerful than anyone I ever knows.

  I fly over to the window in the kitchen, my favorite spot. I watch outside, waitin’ for my companions to come save me from this crazy bitch they think is gonna save us from Variant. If only they knew she just out for herself.

  ###

  Eilish

  The Echoing Spire

  “We’re nearly there,” I whisper. My body is sore and my mind feels like one of the harpies is digging its talons into my brain, trying to pull out memories that aren’t ready to come forward. Pyre is still quiet, but we lean against each other as we make our way to the Echoing Spire. It’s beautiful this close. Less than a mile away; I can feel the ripples of magic coming off it.

  “Don’t be alarmed when you see them,” Pyre says suddenly.

  “See who?”

  “The Sentinels. It’s a dark brotherhood of keepers who protect the spire’s magic from anyone who is not the guardian. Because you’re with me, they’ll grant you entrance, but proceed with caution.” Pyre takes another step and falters. I’m by his side instantly as he continues to sway on his feet. I can’t carry him if he falls unconscious again, so I try to hurry things along.

  I’ve done this before...

  The thought hits me like an anvil.

  And suddenly I’m beyond sure I’ve carried someone up a mountain while they were injured. I don’t know who, exactly, but it was someone I cared for. Deeply. It makes me want to ask Pyre how to unlock my memories again, but I know it’s pointless. I’ve already asked him and it’s not possible. Besides, he’s too sick to do more than keep his head elevated for more than a few seconds at a time. “Hold on, Pyre. We’re almost there.”

  “The Sentinel will perform the ritual. I don’t know how your power will react to being in the spire. Just... don’t let it consume you. Many good people have been seduced by the pool.” Pyre stumbles once more. I try my best to lift him from the ground, at the same moment that three figures appear. They look like shadows wrapped in shadows, hooded figures that float across the ground. They take Pyre from me.

  I stand with empty arms and a wound tugging at my chest. One of the Sentinels urges me to follow. The magic within the spire is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I wonder how it doesn’t simply tear Pyre to pieces each time he uses his magic. I can hardly stand it. The sensation of intense power worms its way beneath my skin and settles into my bones. My teeth begin to chatter and it’s more difficult to walk.

  I didn’t know what I expected the Echoing Spire to look like, but the care with which it was created is evident. My eyes dance around the cavernous chamber that looks more like a temple than a well-pool of magic. Walls carved from jade glisten in the light of the candelabras, white trees with crimson leaves arch over my head, and the stone beneath my feet ripples with each step. I hear a waterfall in the distance.

  Statues surround me. Statues that depict great sorrow, repentance, and even relief.

  I catch sight of pillars with glowing objects floating on them: a dagger, a book, and a mirror. I can’t tear my eyes away until I hear Pyre’s voice echo through the vast space. “Keep moving, Eilish. The Sentinels do not appreciate outsiders lingering here long.”

  We continue through the spire until we stand at the edge of what appears to be an ocean of magic. Standing at the center of this swirling accumulation of power, is an enormous statue of an elven woman whose tears flow like a waterfall. But the substance that collects here is not entirely a liquid, but a writhing entity of its own making. The colors shift like opals in the sun and I hear a song that’s painfully familiar.

  How is it familiar, Eilish? I ask myself and frustrate over the fact I have no answer.

  I search high and low for the source of the song, peering through the thick vines that crawl toward the top of the spire like hands reaching for the sky. I see no one, but I hear the woman from my visions, my mother.

  My mother? How can that be? My mother is dead!

  The Sentinels help Pyre into the pool. As soon as the necromancer touches the surface, a swell of energy engulfs the room. I fall to my knees, bending beneath the might of the power that thrives here. My hand reaches out of its own accord. One of the Sentinels grabs my wrist with so much force, he lifts me off the floor before tossing me onto my back.

  The air is forced from my lungs and I can’t breathe. Can’t even think. All I can do is look up at the Sentinel.

  He hisses, showing a horrific face beneath the cowl—one with no mouth and insect-like features. Petrified, I scurry back on my hands and put some distance between myself and the spire’s power. My heart is pounding and blood is rushing to my head, making me dizzy.

  The Sentinels begin to chant in a deep voice I’ve heard Pyr
e use in the past. It’s too deep to be an actual sound, but I feel it and hear it nevertheless. The necromancer submerges himself in the magic.

  When he stands and walks toward me once more, I’m struck by the sight of him. Strength oozes from his every pore. This is The Guardian of The Veil. Long, scarlet locks flow down his back and the runes on his body glow brightly. Those eerie, sightless white eyes stare directly at me, and I feel the hunger coil within me. But soon, it’s replaced with something else.

  Awe.

  He looks at me, his expression betraying nothing. “What is it you want, Eilish?” he asks me, his voice echoing through the magical place.

  I close my eyes and allow the question to probe me, to sink into my subconscious. When I look at up at him again, I know with no uncertainty what my answer will be. I clear my throat and continue. “I want you to help me become the leader you believe I can be. I’m terrified and I don’t know what will happen next, but I’m tired of playing the part of the victim who must be protected.” I swallow hard as the truth in my words rings through me.

  Pyre’s smile fills me with relief. “I think you’ll find you’ve been ready for a long time.”

  NINE

  Morrigan

  The Veil

  “What do you mean, you haven’t found anything?” I pace in my astral form as Variant leans against his throne like the arrogant king I encouraged him to be. He moves away from the seat and stands right in front of me, glaring into my eyes as if he’s the one pulling the strings and not the puppet. My chin lifts defiantly. “I told you to find a way into The Veil. Something is happening here, I can feel it. And if we want this power for ourselves, we need to move quickly.” I don’t want to wait on the idiot sprite for answers. Variant needs to find them.

  “I don’t like your tone, Morrigan.” Variant comes close to my face. “You forget who is in charge here! If not for the others hiding you there, I would carve out your tongue.”

  “Apologies, my King. I only want what is best for us both.”

  Variant smiles. “That’s better. I must say, I miss our time together. You were always so obedient.” His hand brushes my astral form, causing me to shiver though I can’t feel the warmth of his skin or the sensation of his touch. Just the memory alone is enough to make my core clench. I lick my lips and lean closer, causing his hand to pass through my body. He chuckles and walks back to the throne with a bit more confidence in his stride.

  “Will you keep looking?” I ask softly.

  “I will, and I will continue the harvesting as well. The talisman is nearly complete, and the artificer says it is her best work yet. With the life forces we’ve leached from the fae, you should have enough power to do as you promised and force Theren to submit to me. I need the Unseelie army if we are going to kill Silvanus.”

  “And kill him we must.”

  “Any why is that? You know you’ve never told me.”

  I exhale impatiently. I have told Variant but he doesn’t listen. “Silvanus and I were once two beings fighting for the same cause. Abedon was uncontrollable. He slaughtered the gods and bathed in their blood, taking their power for himself. We watched darkness steal across the realms and knew we had to do something about it,” I reply. “So we imprisoned Abedon to the Hall of The Gods. Silvanus saw a prophecy that spoke of four kings coming together to create a balance, to right the wrongs that Abedon had done and end the Singularity.”

  “Then why throw the balance again? Why try to kill Silvanus?”

  “Peace makes people weak, Variant. Silvanus wanted the realms to thrive as they were, but I saw the truth. The realms were too comfortable. If Abedon ever escaped, he would destroy everything. The realms needed chaos, they needed to know real fear and how to fight against the darkness.” My steps quicken as I begin to pace once more. “Silvanus knew that I wanted to shift the balance. So he took my power, not Abedon, and trapped it inside that unholy mirror of his.”

  “That’s why you told me to kill Baron then?” Variant demands, his tone of voice suddenly angry. “Baron was never after the power for himself, was he?” Variant reaches for me as if to stop my movements, but his hand passes through me again. Anger creases his brow as he scowls in my direction. “You had me betray my brothers just to spite Silvanus? To get me to do your dirty work and shift the balance for you?”

  “You slayed Baron so we could prepare the realms for what is to come! Without the great battle, the orcs and demons would never have fought beside the angels. You wouldn’t have risen to power and had the courage to ask Theren to turn against his brother. You are stronger because of my actions, and so is everyone else.”

  “But I could have fought beside Cambion and the others! We could have put our magic together and ended Abedon while he was still imprisoned. But you took matters into your own hands, and now...”

  “What? Now what?” I ask. “This changes nothing, Variant. You are their enemy.”

  “But, I didn’t need to be!”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll be reunited with Cambion, Baron and Dragan soon. We need all three of them alive, if we are to be successful. You and I will rise as the new gods.”

  “What’s the point, if there’s no one left to see it happen?”

  “Variant, now is not the time for one of your tantrums. If Abedon becomes free and finds Eilish, everything we’ve set in motion will be for naught. It will be the others who take the throne and become the new gods, not us! Is that what you want?”

  He runs a hand through his hair and snarls, “We get your powers back and take The Veil for ourselves. I take control of the spirit world and the Unseelie army. You kill Silvanus and trap his power into the talisman. Once we have Cambion, Dragan, and Baron, we can begin the Rapture and channel the combined force of our energy into Eilish once we reach the home of the gods—”

  “She opens the Hall of The Gods and destroys Abedon. After the Rapture is over, the power will return to us and the throne will be ours for the taking. You and I will be the ultimate power, ruling over the worlds that rest at our feet.” I lift my hand, watching as it begins to fade once more. I’m running out of time. “Do your part and I shall do mine, Variant. Eilish is the vessel we need for this to work. So, next time you decide to use compulsion on someone, think again.”

  “You promised I would have her,” he pouts.

  I’m suddenly angrier than I was. “You will and then she will die.”

  I feel myself return to my body and see that pesky little sprite watching from the windowsill. He flies over and brazenly points in my face. “I hear you sayin’ somethin’ ‘bout Pretty. If you thinks you can just—”

  Though my power is not what it was, I’m not without magic. I toss the annoying creature across the room with a flick of my wrist. He stares at me in horror before scampering away. Soon, they will all learn of what I am truly capable.

  ###

  Eilish

  The Veil

  The portal opens and I feel a rush of happiness when I see smoke coiling from the chimney of the cottage. I race toward the door and throw it open, searching for the others. “Dragan!” I call, but no one answers. “Noni! Cambion! Where is everyone?” My search takes me up to our sleeping quarters, where I find Flumph sniveling in the corner. “What is it? Where is everyone?”

  “The elf got all pissy with me an’ then ran off into the woods agin. I ain’t goin’ after him neither! Not when he been a dick since you been gone,” the ornery sprite complains. “The others gone off to get Assface an’ Aima.”

  “Assface… er Kolvar? And Aima?” I repeat.

  “Yep.”

  “Why?”

  “Theren were gonna execute them an’ Baron an’ Dragan went to rescue the rest o’ the giants, but they ain’t been back yet. You took for fuckin’ ever, by the way. Thanks a lot!”

  I kiss Flumph on the cheek and hurry down to find Pyre glancing around the sitting room.

  “Baron and Dragan haven’t been here for some time. Did Flumph say where they
went?” he asks.

  “The Unseelie kingdom, to rescue Aima and Kolvar,” I answer. Flumph flies down the stairs and I notice his wing seems a little crooked. Not broken, but definitely not right. Pyre sees it as well, but Flumph waves us off.

  “What happened with Kolvar and Aima?” Pyre asks.

  “Noni an’ I was checkin’ on ‘em an’ we hears the Unseelie pricks talkin’ ‘bout killin’ them with soulfire. We tells the others, an’ they run off to go save ‘em. Cambion been comin’ an’ goin for the past three fuckin’ days, leavin’ me here to babysit the Mother Heifer while she sleepin’.”

  “Oh, I’m not sleeping anymore.”

  I turn to face the direction of the voice and I’m surprised to see the Midnight Queen awake, much less moving around. Pyre appears surprised, too. She smiles at me and pulls me into a warm embrace.

  “Are you feeling well?” I ask her.

  “I’m feeling better than before, but I fear I won’t see much progress if I can’t get my power back. Where were you? I expected to be questioned when I awakened, but everyone seems to have gone elsewhere.”

  Pyre casts me a strange look and I decide not to tell Morrigan the truth—about the spire. I’m not sure why, but I keep that information to myself. “There was trouble in the Ashland. Harpies were attacking spirits, so Pyre and I went to take care of it.” I lower the neck of my tunic to show the long gash left behind by the harpy. “Sadly, I didn’t walk away unharmed.”

  I get Pyre’s nod of approval and he pulls me aside. “I need to go get the others. You have to track down Cambion and…” He takes a deep breath and I realize my pheromones are very strong in the air between us. I duck my head and try to tamp down the hunger building inside me.